European Trade Union Committee for Education

After the four week lock out of Danish teachers in 2013, the Danish Union of Teachers filed a complaint against the Danish government with the ILO. The Danish government pushed a bill through which terminated the lock out but only upheld the employers' interests and requirements.

Now, the ILO has issued its decision on the matter which concludes that the Danish government obstructed the negotiations of the collective agreement and ignored significant principals of several ILO conventions. Furthermore, the ILO states that the government mixed up its roles as employer and legislator in not maintaining the 'arm's length principle'. The government should have consulted both parties if technical assistance is needed in the drafting of the legislative intervention. This intervention and the steps taken by the Danish government in relation to the lock out are simply not in agreement with the rules, says the ILO. A crucial message is sent by the ILO as the organization will monitor the situation in Denmark in order to make sure that the rules are followed. The ILO decision is issued at an important time as the negotiations for a new collective agreement in Denmark has just begun.